Dental jaw-brace.



M. SOUVIELLB.

DENTAL JAW BEACH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

1,092,671 Patented Apr. 7', 191i I fizuezz for Ed; $3636 5 8 6 %atiueuflaawezze MATHIEU SO'UVIELLE, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

DENTAL JAW-BRAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

Application filed June 10, 1912. Serial N 0. 702,829.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHIEU SoUvIELLE, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at J acksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dental J aw-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in dental appliances and particularly to jaw braces, and the primary object of the same is to provide simple and effective means for holding open the mouth of the patient while operating or working upon the teeth. 7

The improved device or appliance embodies teeth engaging'. saddles or members which are relatively adjustable toward and from each other to accommodate application to mouths of different sizes, the adjustment being accomplished without resorting to the manipulation of set-screws or clamping de vices. The adjustment may be readily pursued by a simple movement of one part, and the retention of the said part in a positive manner is accomplished through a particu- I lar configuration or contour of the engaging portions of the part and the support therefor. The improved device or appliance is also reversible so that it can be used in either right or left position and in some instances the teeth engaging saddles or members may be shielded by rubber or other yielding coverings to adapt the same to brace against a toothless gum without annoyance or inconvenience to the patient. The several parts are so associated that when the teeth engaging saddles or members are applied, the greater the pressure exerted by the patient on the said saddles or members the more firmly and reliably will the saddles or members be held in their adjusted position. The improved device or appliance is also of such structure that it may be readily cleaned or asepticized, and strength and durability of the several parts are important factors in the improved device,.yet the general organization is light and the device as a whole may be readily applied and removed without injuring the mouth of the patient.

In the drawing: Figure 1v is a perspective view of a double form of the improved appliance or jaw brace. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a single form of the device. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation of the joint be tween the adjustable arm and the standard of either the double or single form of the device. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of Igne of the teeth engaging saddles or memers.

The numeral 5 designates a standard or upright of either the double or single form of the device, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the said standard or upright being angular in cross section; and as shown the contour thereof is preferably square. In the form of the device shown by Fig. l a double arm 6 extends equally from the upper terminal of the standard or upright 5 in opposite directions and has an arcuate form or is curved regularly from the said standard or upright. The double arm 6 has a tooth engaging saddle or member 7 at each end thereof which is essentially semi-circular in cross-section and of open framework structure and embodies a base 8 and opensides 9 with a bearing strip 10 located between the sides and secured to the base. The hearing or pressure strip 10 may be of any suitable material and the bearing surface thereof is given a concave contour in a longitudinal direction so that the opposite ends 11 are elevated to cause them to fit snugly over the teeth to which they are applied. It is preferred that the pressure or bearing strip 10 of each saddle be slightly yielding or in some instances it may be constructed of a pad of rubber or other suitable material of the same form to increase the frictional contact thereof with the teeth. As shown in the drawings, the ends of the arms continue into the outer sides 9 of the saddles to avoid the formation of projections beyond the outer'planes of the arms so that the latter. will fit easily and comfortably against the-inner walls of the cheeks of the patient. The upper arms 6 have the saddles with their open portions uppermost to engage the teeth of the upper jaw. On the standard or upright 5 below the double arm or the arms 6 is a sliding carrier or head 12 from which arcuate arms 13 project in opposite directionsequally with the double arm above, and on the endsof the arms 13 saddles 7 are mounted similar in all respects to the saddles hereinbefore described, the arms 13 being continuous with the outer sides of the lower saddles, and the latter having their open or inlet portions at the bottom or reverse to the open or inlet portions of the upper saddles to permit the said lower saddles to be readily fitted over the teeth of the lower jaw. The carrier. or head 12 has an opening 14 therein-and extending vertically therethrough of slightly greater dimensions than the cross-sectional dimensions of the standard or upright 5, the said carrier or head 12 being free to slide on the standard or upright 5 so as to move the lower arms 13 upwardly toward or clown- Wardly from the upper double arm 6. After the lower arms have been adjusted on the standard or upright 5 they will be held fixed through the pressure exerted on either lower saddle 7 which slightly tilts the carrier or head 12 and sets up a frictional binding action between the carrier or head and the standard or upright owing to the configuration of the latter and the corresponding contour of the opening 1 1 in the carrier or head. By this means the adjustment of the lower arms and their saddles may be readily accomplished without the use of adjusting screws or auxiliary clamping devices.

7 In the single form of the device or appliance as shown by Fig. 2, the standard or upright 5 is similar to that shown by Fig. 1 and has one curved arm 15 projecting from the upper terminal thereof and continuing into the outer side of a saddle 7 also similar in construction to the saddles hereinbefore described and having its open or inlet portion uppermost. The carrier or head 12 in this instance is also essentially similar to that shown by Fig. 1, the only difference being that a thumb or finger piece 16 is vprovided at the upper portion thereof to facilitate the adjustment of the said carrier. Projecting from the carrier is an arcuate arm 16 corresponding to the arm 15 above and continuing into the outer side of asaddle 7 similar to the saddle on the upper arm '15, the saddle on the lower. arm 16 having itsiopen or inletportion projected downwardly, similar to the saddles 7 on the lower arm 13 at each side of the carrier 12 as shown by Fig.1. The saddles 7 on the arms 15 and 16 are both projected inwardly from the said arms so as to avoid outward projections on the latter to permit these arms to comfortably and easily bear against the inner wall of thecheek. Two of the single appliances of the form shown by Fig. 2 will be required to permit an operator to work or treat the teeth on the right and left sides of the head or on opposite sides of the jaws, whereas the single form of the device shown by Fig. 1 may be used with either the right or left side of the aws.

In some instances the patient may be without teeth in either the upper or lower jaws at points where the saddles are applied, and to adapt the device to these conditions an elastic or yielding buffer of tubular form is slipped over the saddle adacent to the toothless gum, as shown at 17 in Fig.2. This elastic or yielding buffer or cushion 17 may be applied toeither one of the saddles or to both saddles that are brought into bearing association with toothless portions of the upper and lower jaws to. avoid injury to the latter or discomfort to the patient and permit the appliance to be effectually used in performing its function. i

It will be seen that each of the saddles is fully open at its outer and inner ends so that it may be readily slipped over the teeth and be retained in applied position by the) sides 9 extending downwardly or upwardly over the teeth. The. open structure of the sides 9 of each saddle reduces the contact ing surface thereof relatively .to the teeth with less liability ofinjury tothe enamel of the teeth,

In ap teeth to hold the jaws separated,' one set of arms of the device shown by Fig. 1 or the arms embodied in the device shown by Fig. 2

plyingcthe improved device to the are inserted in the mouth with the saddles engaging upper and lower teetlnthe one set of arms or the lower. arms shown by Fig. 1,'or the single lower arm shown by Fig. 2

being adjusted relatively to the upper arm or arms to expandthe jaws as may be desired, and when the adjustment has been made and the saddles are fitted to the teeth the jaws of the patient will be positively held open so that the operator may have ready access to the teeth needing treatment;

While the improved device or appliance'is particularly adapted for use indental op-' erations, it will be understood that it may be equally well employed in performing general surgical operations. All the parts of the device will be preferably constructed] of suitable metal and plated, and it is. ob-

vious thatthe proportions and dimensions may be modified at will,

What is claimed is:

1. In an appliance of the character specified, an upright angular in cross section carrying a fixed arm at its' upper end, the arm being terminally provided with a tooth-engaging device longitudinally openat its up- 7 per portion and at opposite ends to permit a V tooth to enter thereinto, and a head adjust; ably mounted on the upright and having an opening therethrough of the same contour as the. upright and also carrying an arm having a tooth-engaging device longitudinally open at its'lower portion and at opposite ends to'permit the entrance of atooth teeth engaging saddles with inlet openings extending longitudinally thereof through opposite ends and also having open sides, the saddles being in reverse positions so as to respectively engage teeth of the upper and lower jaws, the sides of the saddles being open to reduce the contact on the surfaces of the teeth engaged and at the same time to insure a positive engagement of the saddles with the teeth. I

3. In an appliance of the character specified, relatively adjustable arms having fixed terminal teeth engaging saddles projecting inwardly from the plane of the arms and having inlet openings extending longitudinally thereof through opposite ends and open sides, the saddles being in reverse positions to engage the teeth of upper and lower jaws and also having yielding pressure strips disposed therein at a distance inwardly from the margins of the sides.

4c. In an appliance of the character specified, relatively adjustable arms havin fixed terminal teeth engaging saddles pro ecting inwardly from the arms so as to dispose the same fully on one side of the plane of the arms to prevent injury to the inner sides of the cheeks by the saddles, the said saddles having inlet openings extending fully in a longitudinal direction therethrough and also provided with open sides to reduce the contact of the sides of the saddles with the surfaces of the opposite sides of the teeth engaged.

5. In an appliance of the character specified, relatively adjustable arms having fixed teeth engaging saddles with openings extending longitudinally therethrough from end to end to admit the teeth between the sides thereof, the sides being open to reduce the contact of the same on the opposite sur' faces of the teeth, and longitudinally curved pressure strips located within the saddles at a distance inwardly from the margins of the sides.

6. In an appliance of the character specified, upper and lower arms having fixed teeth engaging saddles on the terminals thereof with inlet openings extending longitudinally therethrough from end to end and in reverse positions on the respective arms, and longitudinally curved pressure strips inclosed within the side margins of the saddles, the pressure strips being intermediately secured to the saddles and having their opposite extremities free and normally out of contact with the bases of the saddles.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATHIEU SOUVIELLE, Witnesses:

CHAs. S. HYER, JAMES L. NORRIS, Jr,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Patents, Washington, D. (1. 

